An Innovations Exchange Learning Community

Promoting Medication Therapy Management for At-Risk Populations

An Innovations Exchange Learning Community

According to an AHRQ report, medication therapy management (MTM) services are intended to address issues of polypharmacy, preventable adverse drug events, medication adherence, and medication misuse. In line with this report, the AHRQ Health Care Innovations Exchange has identified MTM as a high-priority area for further research.

As defined by the American Pharmacists Association, “Medication therapy management is a service or group of services that optimize therapeutic outcomes for individual patients. Medication therapy management services include medication therapy reviews, pharmacotherapy consults, anticoagulation management, immunizations, health and wellness programs, and many other clinical services. Pharmacists provide medication therapy management to help patients get the best benefits from their medications by actively managing drug therapy and by identifying, preventing, and resolving medication-related problems.”

The MTM LC specifically explored inter-professional care in ambulatory care settings, particularly within clinics that serve at-risk patients with both chronic conditions and socioeconomic complexity. Frequently, these populations face challenges in understanding how to take their medications appropriately and why it is important to be actively engaged in the self-management of their health conditions. The MTM LC addressed this challenge by incorporating pharmacists within the primary care team.

The MTM LC built upon the work of the Managing Your Medications (MyRx) Medication Adherence Program, which consists of a bundle of MTM interventions that were independently tested using comparative effectiveness research (CER) methodology. In collaboration with Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, three affiliated clinics of the Spring Branch federally qualified health center (FQHC) in Houston, Texas served as pilot sites for adapting the MyRx innovation and incorporating pharmacists within the primary care team.

Aim #4: Leverage the expertise of LC members to enhance lessons learned about the pilot.

To meet these aims, the AHRQ Health Care Innovations Exchange worked with the Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and the Spring Branch Community Health Center (SBCHC). The MTM LC had a national representation which included fourteen primary care and pharmaceutical sites working collaboratively to implement the adapted MyRx innovation. Participants received technical assistance and support from nationally recognized experts.